Mission Accomplished
by Dr. Huff-Puff
Summary: One-shot! Snape has been assigned to keep a deathwatch over an unidentified student, who lies on the brink of death. Who is she?


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DISCLAIMER: If you believe that I'm Severus Snape's wife, then I own it all.

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A/N: My first AF challenge fic. Thank you Seren! Hope yeh like it!

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Mission Accomplished

She shouldn't have done this. I told Dumbledore she was too young for this dangerous mission, but he insisted on sending her with me. Saying that she needs practice. Why did I ever become a Death Eater in the first place? I wouldn't have turned into a spy, and this mission would never have happened, and she would've been out there building some silly snowman at the school grounds.

Now that she's lying motionless, almost lifeless in this cold bed, I have to sit here and wait. Wait for her to die maybe. Healers say that her life is hanging from a thin string and there's nothing they could do to help her.

It's my entire fault. If I didn't accept Dumbledore's pathetic order she would've been at school now.

Instead, I get to take her with me to the mountains where the meeting was going to be held. I told her to stay behind and out of sight. She even brought Potter's invisibility cloak! I was standing around the fire with the other Death Eaters when he came. The Dark Lord wanted some information about the Order's recent plans and when I told him I was occupied at school and didn't have any news for him; he used the Cruciatus Curse immediately. It was his favorite game. Torturing whoever didn't have any delicate news to tell him was his full time hobby.

She witnessed it all, and she ran to the circle thinking she can help the situation. It got worse. Three Death Eaters hit her with the Cruciatus Curse and she fell to the ground screaming her brain out. For the first time in my life I resisted the curse and ran to her side. I held her in my arms and apparated to Hogwarts.

Now we're at the hospital waiting for her to… I can't even say it. Her parents still think she's at school having fun with her friends. Friends, who were always by her side. Since their first day at Hogwarts they were together. They were a team, a family. No one could break their circle. I always tried to humiliate them in front of their other friends, sometimes in front of the whole school, but every time I did so they became stronger. They have always been united and united they will stay. Even if she won't be with them physically.

She always had an answer to every question. I always found her sitting at the library, her nose in a book or two. She was hard to distract when she was concentrating on something.

I look at her now and see her determination to survive. She wants to live, but I took her last hope from her. Dumbledore says it's not my fault, but I know it is. It's his fault as much as mine. He gave the order for her to accompany me, and I foolishly accepted.

What if she dies? How am I going to look into her parents' eyes? How am I going to look into her friends' eyes?

I'm supposed to have my mask pulled onto my face all day, for I have first years to scare, students to scowl at and points to deduct. I can't hide my feelings anymore. I have caused the death of a student. A bright and intelligent student. A loyal friend and a wonderful daughter.

She looks pale in that bed. Why did healers choose to make the sheets and covers all white? They should've been red, to match her once alive lip color. A bit of golden strikes and it would go well with her brown hair.

I remember the first time I saw her in my class. She couldn't keep herself from answering all the questions I asked, but instead of awarding points, I took them off. That was what she got every time she answered a question during my class.

As she stirred in bed I got up and walked to her side. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at me. I saw her pain. She didn't blink. Her eyes were blank and only pain was shown in them. Her breath was heavy but she didn't seem to care. She somehow felt it was the end. I knew it was the end.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It was all my fault," I replied, "I shouldn't have taken you with me."

"I wanted to come. I wanted to see if the books were telling the truth about the meetings."

"You don't need to tell me about it. I already know that," I said, trying to keep her silent. However, a feeling of guilt rushed over me. What was I thinking? I can't keep her from saying her last words!

"I could've told you how they were without having you there," I said.

A tired smile appeared on her face. "I know, but I wanted to be there so bad that I made Dumbledore make up a story about a mission. Did you really think I was going to become one of them?" She sighed heavily and closed her eyes.

"I always trusted Dumbledore's decisions. He never thinks before acting and this is the result," I wanted to hex Dumbledore at this moment. He knew how dangerous were the meetings, but he insisted to send her with me. Miss let-me-know-it-all needs to know everything!

She nodded slowly and let out a deep breath. This was it. She was going to fly away. She didn't deserve this.

"Thank you for taking me there," her sudden comment came to me as a surprise.

I saw her chest stop moving. Her pale lips were turning blue, as well as the tips of her fingers. I wanted to go and call for help, but I couldn't move. I extended my hand slowly and touched her hand. She was cold. Her body went rigid and started to lose its color, letting a light gray hue take over.

I noticed a smile. She accomplished her mission, but I will never know if she was truly satisfied with it. She was never satisfied with what she knew and always wanted to know more.

She will always remain the brightest witch Hogwarts has had in many centuries. I wish I could award her some house points, but it's too late. It's always too late.

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The end

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A/N: Oh Cripes! This was so hard to write! sniff Review and I'll give you a tissue to blow your nose if you know who was this student!


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